Heel for shoes



March 31, 1959 J.. DI GAI-:.TANO

HEEL FOR SHOES Filed Jan. 2, 1958 INVENTOR. JOHN Dl GAETANO 2,879,610 HEEL FOR SHOES .lohn Di Gaetano, Brooklyn, N .Y. Application January 2, 1958, Serial No. 706,669 1 Claim. (Cl. 36-34) This invention relates to the art of shoe heels and particularly concerns a device for attaching a lift to a heel of a ladys shoe.

Heretofore lifts for heels of ladies shoes have been made of leather or imitation leather. These lifts were attached to the heels by nailing if the heels were made of a material penetrable by nails, such as wood, plastic, leather, etc. If the heels were made of metal or other hard no-n-nailable material the lifts were cemented on to the heels. Both the nailing and cementing procedures are time-consuming and laborious. Also, considerable skill is required to attach the lifts without injuring the finish of the adjacent parts of the shoes and without damaging the heels, particularly those of the elongated spike type. Furthermore, special lasts are required to hold the shoes during attachment of the lifts and special tools are required to effect proper attachment of the lifts. p

The present invention has as its object the provision of a heel structure whereby a lift is readily attachable to a ladys shoe in a simple and effective manner.

A further object is to provide a lift attachment device including threaded elements.

A further object is to provide a lift attachment device including a threaded member having prong portions adapted to be secured in the body of the lift.

A further object is to provide a lift with threaded means for quick attachment to the heel of a shoe.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a shoe heel embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on lines 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of portions of the heel.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the heel at one step in the lift attachment procedure.

Fig. 4A is an enlarged detail perspective view of a tting and lift.

In Figs. 1 and 2 there is shown a form of heel for a ladys shoe. The heel has a tapered body 11 providing a broad concave platform P and a depending spike 12 to which is attached the leather lift 14. The body of the heel includes an outer metal shell in which is a wooden insert 16. The insert is shaped to provide the concave platform B. The outer upper edge 17 of the insert is ush with the rim 18 of the shell. The insert 16 has a tapered body which tits snugly in a tapered cavity 20 in the shell. This cavity communicates with a bore 22, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A rod or bar 24 is anchored securely in the bore 25 in the insert. The rod is formed with an internally threaded bore 26 at its free end.

A cylindrical metal fitting 28 is provided with a threaded stud 30 at one end, which is threaded in bore 26. This fitting is formed with a plurality of prongs 29 at its other end. These prongs are adapted to be forced through the lift 14 and then the tips 33 of the prongs are bent over flush with the lower surface of the lift as shown in Fig. 2. While four prongs are shown, it will be understood that two or more prongs may be used.

In assembling the heel, insert 16 may be inserted into the cavity 20 and secured there by a layer of cement 32. Rod 24 will extend through bore 22 and terminate short of the lower end of the spike 12. Fitting 28 will then be securely threaded in rod 24 with prongs 29 extending therefrom as shown in Fig. 4. A leather blank B may then be forced on the protruding prongs until the tips of the prongs extend out of the lower side of the blank. The tips 33 may then be bent over by hammering thereon to secure the blank to spike 12. Now the blank may be cut with a sharp knife to conform the outline of the blank to that of the lower end of the spike and thus form the lift 14. The lift is thus securely attached to the heel.

The insert 16 may of course be formed of any suitable material.

When the lift wears past the retaining bent tips of the prongs, the remaining portion of the lift and fitting may be unscrewed from rod 24 and discarded, and a new fitting and lift may then easily be installed.

If desire-d, fitting 28 may be attached to the lift 14 as a preliminary step. Such an assembly of the tting and lift is shown in Fig. 4A and may constitute in itself an article of manufacture. Assemblies of this type can be manufactured by economical mass production processes with high speed machinery. The consumer may then attach a new lift to her shoe without requiring the usual services of a skilled Workman, by simply unscrewing the old lift and replacing it with a new one.

While l have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

A heel structure, comprising a tapered metal body terminating in a spike, said body having a cavity in the broader portion thereof and a bore in said spike communicating with said cavity, a tapered insert disposed in said cavity, said insert having a concave platform surface, said insert having a bore axially aligned with the bore in said spike, a rod secured in the bore inthe insert and extending longitudinally through the bore in the spike, said rod terminating in a threaded end portion, a cylindrical fitting having one end removably threaded on said end portion of the rod, said fitting terminating at its other end in a plurality of prongs for securing a flat lift to the end of the spike.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 21,430 Critchley Apr. 23, 1940 372,435 Sommerield Nov. 1, 1887 965,415 Silverstein July 26, 1910 1,301,601 Purnhagen Apr. 22,1919 1,392,769 Kresse Oct. 4, 1921 1,393,658 Armishaw Oct. 11, 1921 2,301,327 Roberge Nov. 10, 1942 2,816,374 Joiner Dec. 17, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 320,572 Great Britain Oct. 17, 1929 329,196 Great Britain May 15, 1930 1,131,248 France Oct. 15, 1956 

